Evaporative air coolers have been produced and used for more than 50 years. They are devices that use the heat of vaporization of water to cool the air. Such devices have been used around the world and are relatively inexpensive to build and operate compared to refrigeration air conditioning systems. However, it is well established that while refrigeration air conditioning systems are the preferred method to cool homes and businesses, they are expensive to purchase, install and operate. Further, in refrigeration air conditioning systems the air can be filtered using sophisticated filters, such as electrostatic filters, to remove dust, pollen and germs, etc. Also, these systems de-humidify the air, so they are useful in all climates. On the other hand, evaporative air coolers add water vapor or moisture to the air in order to cool it. They are most useful in desert or dry climates where the additional water vapor added to the air to cool it does not raise the relative humidity in the area being cooled to an uncomfortable level. Also, they are used where the cost to purchase, install and operate an air conditioning system is an important consideration. Filter systems mentioned above are not generally used in evaporative air coolers due at least in part to the added expense for purchase and installation of such filters.
For many years, evaporative air coolers have been constructed from metal and as a result over time they will rust and have to be replaced. In more recent times, a device was placed in the water bath compartment of the evaporative air cooler to act as a sacrificial anode. These devices were usually a small zinc plate or a magnesium rod with a wire attached to the zinc plate or the magnesium rod. The end of the wire not attached to the zinc plate or the magnesium was then attached to the metal housing of the evaporative air cooler with a sheet metal screw.
In the last several years, the housings of evaporative air coolers have been constructed from non-metallic materials and thus are immune to the past problems of the housing rusting out. Since the housing is not subject to rusting and the non-metallic housing eliminates the electrolytic action necessary for the zinc plate or the magnesium rod to function as a sacrificial anode, sacrificial anodes have not been used in evaporative air coolers having a non-metallic water bath compartment.
The introduction of evaporative air coolers with non-metallic water bath compartments has been very successful. The housings of such evaporative air coolers generally last much longer than such coolers having metal housings. However, evaporative air coolers with non-metallic water bath compartments still suffer from several major problems.
New evaporative air coolers with non-metallic housings and those that have been re-conditioned by installing new porous high surface area material in the louvered sides, after being in operation for only a short time almost always result in a musty odor imparted to the air. When the evaporative cooler is turned off, especially during the daytime when the sun heats up the inside of the evaporative cooler, the heat and humidity of the environment inside the evaporative cooler promotes rapid growth of bacteria and mold, mildew and similar fungi. The bacteria and fungi growing on the various surfaces of the evaporative cooler results in the musty odor produced by evaporative air coolers and the musty odor is generally regarded as the reason such coolers are sometimes called xe2x80x9cswamp coolersxe2x80x9d. Further, asthma and allergy sufferers and those with hay fever generally experience an increase in bronchial congestion and allergy and hay fever symptoms when the evaporative air cooler is in use. To help alleviate the bronchial congestion and allergy and hay fever symptons, it is general practice to replace the porous high surface area material used in the walls of evaporative coolers with new material at least annually or after each season of use. While it is not extremely expensive to replace the porous high surface area material, the cost in labor and materials is not insignificant.
Accordingly, there is a substantial need to improve the operation of evaporative air coolers with non-metallic water bath compartments. Further, there is the need to improve the operation of such evaporative air coolers without a significant increase in cost. Still further there is the need to improve the air quality produced by such evaporative air coolers and specifically to reduce the symptoms of asthma, allergy and hay fever sufferers when exposed to air from such evaporative air coolers.
One object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of improving air quality produced by the use of evaporative air coolers having a housing with a nonmetallic water bath compartment.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus useful in evaporative air coolers With non-metallic water bath compartments.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of improving air quality produced by the use of evaporative air coolers with non-metallic water bath compartments by conditioning the water used in the evaporative air cooler.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of conditioning the water used in evaporative air coolers with non-metallic water bath compartments.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of conditioning the water used in evaporative air coolers with non-metallic water bath compartments without adding significant cost to the cost of operation of the cooler.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of reducing the air borne allergens produced by evaporative air coolers having a housing with a non-metallic water bath compartment.
A further object of the invention is to reduce the musty odor of the air produced from evaporative air coolers with non-metallic water bath compartments.
A further object of the invention is to extend the useful life of the porous high surface area material used in evaporative air coolers having a housing with a non-metallic water bath compartment.